Doorstop four axle Diesels

[R.K. Maroon]

Here is the story as I understand it: The NW2 had a nine-cylinder 567 prime mover, originally rated at 900 horsepower (the source of the N in NW2). The SW1 was built on the same frame and chassis as the NW2, but had a six-cylinder 567 rated at 600 HP (the source of the S is SW1). To lower cost, EMD gave the SW1 a smaller hood than the NW2 (smaller engine, smaller hood). To distribute weight evenly to both trucks, the SW1 cab and hood had to be more-or-less centered on the frame, which meant the porch at each end was longer on the SW1 than on the NW2. These two scale drawings from thedieselshop website show this clearly:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rdbo9m3v4mbx3y10lkkno/SW1-vs-NW2.png?rlkey=zjcfas9s4ldkvrfgex7a03kk4

EMD used some of the extra front porch on the SW1 to add a utility box. The NW2 already had a box behind the cab, so the increase in the size of the back porch on the SW1 is really noticeable. As it was, it was relatively easy to produce a pseudo SW1 from the cast NW2 by simply shortening the front hood. This is what All Nation did with their short-lived 600-Hp model. To produce a more accurate SW-1 from the All Nation shell, the hood has to be shortened and the hood and cab must be cut away from the frame and moved forward. I have seen two models so modified:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d4m4eavmc3524sxa7xps3/All-Nation-SW-1-NYC-8401_03.JPG?rlkey=mcy1wv3m8hig9gt9bbqvbab25


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/utnzdjtuas7gjuh9ki4gn/GMC-AN-Fisher-SW1-OPS-83_05.JPG?rlkey=wk8zr88d2umq9zm2nn66ytqhp

I do not know the original builder of the NYC unit, but Brian Scace rebuilt it at one point following an unfortunate shipping damage incident. The OPS model is the fine work of John Fisher. OPS stands for Ohio Public Service, an actual railroad in the Toledo area seen by John in his youth. As far as I can tell, OPS never had an SW1 (or perhaps any other diesel). I have so far resisted the temptation to re-letter it for the Milwaukee Road, but that may happen someday.

Jim

[R.K. Maroon]

The photos of a Hawk EMC SC/SW, now on the previous page of this thread, show this model in its "as arrived" condition. A couple of years ago I decided to clean up this model. This is how far I got:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zrreiwxczt2mbuu08w7xd/Hawk-EMC-Switcher-Rebuilt-Unpainted.jpg?rlkey=xjckxuvzjz4phy1c4xq7lzxqu

Besides dipping and blasting all the paint off, I formed and installed new plaform handrails and cut levers. The model still sits like this. I don't remember quite why I stopped, but the next step is to two-rail the drive. The model arrived setup for outside third rail. The easiest thing to do would be to install an All Nation or CLW drive, but I am inclined to keep the original (with its leather flexible couplings).

Jim

[R.K. Maroon]

The Hawk diesel previously posted was the only four-axle doorstop acquisition for me in 2012. All the other models posted by me to this point arrived in 2011. Here is the one and only four-axle doorstop to arrive in 2013:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mfyuibvcw7gxu3uj1tg9f/Penn-Erie-NH-U25B-01.JPG?rlkey=hlw1vahj5xkcqdw4q4qy543xg

This is a Penn-Erie U25B. It arrived as shown, unpowered and mounted on a display stand. This is one of the promotional models that Penn-Erie made for GE to present to the railroads that purchased their locomotives. I have every intention of installing a CLW drive, which I had in hand, but I have not made it a priority.

Happy 4th everybody!

Jim

[De Bruin]

Neat U25B example; nice factory scheme too that was also applied to the NH's C425's, these were the last two models the NH purchased albeit both GE and Alco had to come up with some creative sale plans as the NH was bankrupt. I look forward to seeing this one powered.

[R.K. Maroon]

The first four-axle doorstop purchased by me was a Fairbanks-Morse H20-44 made by Baldwin models. I posted a photo this model on the first page of this thread. CLW also made a model of this locomotive, and very nice version showed up on eBay in November 2014:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tjpuj1lwbsfwvlotbsfqq/CLW-FM-H20-44-UP-1368_01.JPG?rlkey=sh4k8yzofa20k1qaryjlcugd4


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ef8z18f0qv9of0jnsqz2d/CLW-FM-H20-44-UP-1368_04.JPG?rlkey=vmd6xcw7i1xn95anefzkl8kb0

I did not know this when I bought it, but this model was built and finished by John Fisher of Corvallis, Oregon. John and I eventually became close friends. He turned 90 recently, and still loves to talk old trains.

By the way, Bob Smith at CLW originally developed this model under contract to Fairbanks-Morse, who wanted models of H20-44 and the H15-44 to present to their customers.

Jim

[R.K. Maroon]

Here is an Icken model of a GE-IR 600 HP "B6-5" boxcab:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/x56nz2jt32ixuea7v3a9r/Icken-AGEIR-Oil-Electric-CN-7750_02.JPG?rlkey=b5m441j70f32w6qifp4y0odpy

Many of the early diesels were one-offs, and neither GE-IR-Alco nor GE-IR gave clear model numbers to the various versions. Some railroad historian came up with a naming system. B6-5, I believe, designates the 5th version of the 600 HP Boxcar. About a dozen of these were made, with CN and C&NW being the only Class-I railroads to buy them. CN had this one and the C&NW had five.

Both Icken and Walthers made models of the B6-5. Icken's version is all cast bronze. Walthers made three versions, with various combination of formed brass and cast components, but never all cast.

The model shown came from Rob Taylor, who lives in the Hamilton, Ontario area. Rob built and finished many nice models over the years. This one is all original. Rob refinished this model many years ago. My project list includes building or acquiring a caboose for this.

One more thing I should mention: CN 7750 is not technically a GE-IR B6-5, as it was assembled in Canada from a mix of Canadian and US parts. The model is very close to the CN prototype. One nit is the lack of hand rails along the edge of the roof found on the prototype. The very-long link below should take you to a google search page that shows an image of the prototype 7750:

https://www.google.com/imgres?q=canadian%20national%207750&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trainweb.org%2Foldtimetrains%2FVarious%2Fearlydiesels_7750.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trainweb.org%2Foldtimetrains%2FVarious%2Fearly_diesels.htm&docid=gNvC83_cJF8YqM&tbnid=RgtkJu1bauakkM&vet=12ahUKEwj3p-uf7M2HAxX6GtAFHUaTG1oQM3oECBwQAA..i&w=640&h=304&hcb=2&ved=2ahUKEwj3p-uf7M2HAxX6GtAFHUaTG1oQM3oECBwQAA

Jim

[bob turner]

Doorstops from Maroon:

[bob turner]

Well, I thought they were at least "different."

Turns out that a lot of this stuff is 17/64 scale. I was thinking these Exacta side frames were a bit small, but they are accurate for 2/4" scale. The ones under the new doorstop FTs are better quality castings, and are 17/64.

[bob turner]

Erik saved us from eight day moribundity. I shall bump this in hopes that someone - maybe Erik - will say something unkind about pumpkin F3s.

Where are the rest of you? I come here daily hoping that we are still alive. I have new projects, but somebody else needs to share?

[De Bruin]

Sorry Bob, been traveling and have not been doing much internet(vacationing from it all)
I'm building some 80ft Walthers streamlined coaches in as stand-ins for Long Island M-72's.
Some window alterations etc. and I'm just about ready to cut the liners. Have a C420, a B60 and a pullman parlor or two to go with them.
One of the Oyster Bay, Greenport or Montauk exurban runs. Pictures when done will follow.

I like those WP cab units, though I have to ask if the red road name is artistic license, I know the F7's wore a similiar scheme with the larger railroad roman in place of the smaller "Zephyr" font.

[bob turner]

Maroon has sent another doorstop. I fixed one F3A by plugging about a billion holes and relocating the cab, but did not take any before/after photos. I shall rectify that with this unit. The same "modeler" probably did both - nose soldered together quite nicely, but everything else screwed together with random 2-56 and 4-40 screws. Turn some guys loose with a drill press, and you get Swiss Cheese!

Fortunately, these things are salvageable - I will tap each hole, and insert a brass threaded plug, sealing it with a bit of solder, and smoothed with a riffler file (and maybe a Dremel grinder with a Craytex disc).

So here is the before photo - give me until Christmas, and I should have an "after" photo.

[bob turner]

No holes barred:

[bob turner]

Yes, I might try to touch that windshield up a bit, but other projects intervene,

I note that either Jim or I have lost the four sand cast rectangular blocks that go in the roof as exhaust fans. This is kinda sad, since our goal is to preserve, not upgrade. Today I am digging in the recycling just to make sure I didn't pitch crumpled paper in there with fan castings hidden.

But - to the five of you who might see this - the castings are strange, but unmistakably F3 fans, so if you happen to see a spare set . . .

[R.K. Maroon]

That looks great, Bob -- Very nice work getting those holes filled and the shell assembled. These were "state of the art" when introduced in the late 40s, but were not so for long -- the die-cast Atwater-GMC (later All Nation) units were introduced not long after these and that was that. Still, they make respectable models (for doorstop fans, at least), as Bob's WP set several posts back demonstrates. Here is a set in UP colors:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dhc2qp2w1j0nl6lgicc1x/As-Arrived.jpg?rlkey=kp072z0hxvllorozxvw4nbfjw

I post this to show what the fans look like. It's a nice paint job, but unfortunately the fans were not properly placed. The two in the middle should be grouped together, with the exhaust stacks separating them from the front and back fans. Here is the roof an All Nation unit for comparison:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/uy2734nckrunklzfxfmcv/20241209_164745.jpg?rlkey=jn8vwk9l2nlq827qfuhxzk76r

One option, if the original fans aren't found, would be to find a damaged All Nation roof and salvage the fan section as a single piece. It seems a long shot, but the roofs do get bent up or broken from time to time.

Jim

[Dennis Holler]

Well, thanks to Jim, I now have a nice pair of Baldwin F-3's... Maybe some day I'll get around to painting them!

I've also got an E7 A-B kit somewhere that I got from Carey a while back that needs to be built. This one is set up for two rail currently, may stay that way, who knows... Even looks like it's on two rail track thanks to the photo angle!
You can see a Walther's boxcab on the other track and the P&S New Haven electric up on the shelf.